Numerator

The numerator is the number written on the top of a fraction. It represents the number of parts taken out of the whole. So anything that is above the fraction bar or on the top in a fraction is the numerator. Let us learn more about it in this article.

Every fraction has two parts, a numerator, and a denominator. The numerator is the top part of a fraction, and the denominator is the bottom part of a fraction. Remember that a fraction represents a part of a whole. The numerator represents how many parts of that whole are being considered, while the denominator represents the total number of parts of the whole.

A fraction is written in the form x/y, where x is the numerator, and y is the denominator. So, we can say that a fraction is written as Numerator/Denominator. The number on top represents the number of parts while the number below the vinculum, i.e the denominator denotes how many equal parts the item is divided into. Let us look at some simple examples of numerators. In the fraction 3/7, 3 is the numerator. In the fraction 2/3, 2 is the numerator and 3 is the denominator. Let us take a real-life example of a numerator in a fraction. A pizza is divided into 4 parts. How do we represent 1 slice of the pizza with respect to the whole pizza? It is denoted by the fraction 1/4, Where, 1 → Numerator (the number of parts), and 4 → Denominator (total number of parts).

A fraction written in the form x/y is basically x ÷ y. It means we divide x by y. In division, the numerator is the same as the dividend and the denominator is the same as the divisor. For example, 1/2 is the same as 1 ÷ 2. It means how many 2's are there in 1's. Here, 1 can be considered as the dividend or as a numerator, while 2 can be considered as the divisor or the denominator.

Fractions can be classified into different types based on the numerators. Some of the different types of fractions are as follows:

• When numerator ≥ denominator, it is called an improper fraction.
• When denominator > numerator, it is a proper fraction.
• When the numerator is 1, it is called a unit fraction.​

The easiest way to remember numerator and denominator is by understanding the placement of numbers in the fractions. It’s as simple as that! You only need to remember that the numeric value which is on the top of the fraction bar is the numerator and the numeric value at the bottom is the denominator. That’s it! Also, calculating the numerator is just like identifying them. If you know where to look, you will get it. Say for example you are supposed to find the numerator and denominator of the fraction 1/2. The number above the fractional bar is the numerator. In this case, it is 1. The number below the fractional bar is the denominator. In this case, it is 2.

The numerator and denominator together make a fraction. But let us now understand their difference through the table given below:

Now let us look at the following important facts about the numerator.

• When the numerator of a fraction is 0, the complete fraction becomes 0. It doesn’t matter what the denominator is, if the numerator is zero, then the complete fraction is zero. For example: If we have 0/2 then we will get 0 as the simplified form.
• If both the numerator and denominator are the same, then we get 1 as the simplified form. Example, 4/4 = 1.

☛ Related Topics

Given below is the list of topics that are related to the concept of the numerator in math.

• Common Denominator
• Fractions Calculator
• Numerator and Denominator Calculator

What is the Meaning of Numerator?

Fractions have two parts, a numerator, and a denominator. The numerator is the number on the top of the fraction bar or vinculum. For example, in 2/3, 2 is the numerator.

What is Numerator and Denominator?

A fraction of the form x/y in which the number x above the line is called the numerator and the number y below that line is called the denominator. The numerator represents the parts taken and the denominator represents the total number of equal parts of the whole.

What is the Difference Between Numerator and Denominator?

The numerator is the number on the top of the bar and the denominator lies below the fraction bar. A fraction with 0 as the numerator is equal to 0, while a fraction with 0 as the denominator does not exist. In the fraction 5/3, 5 is the numerator and 3 is the denominator.

What is a Common Numerator?

The common numerator is the LCM of the numerators of two or more fractions. For example, in the expression 2/3 + 1/6, the numerators are 2 and 1. The LCM of 2 and 1 is 2. So, 2 is the common numerator. 2/3 will remain as it is and 1/6 can be written as (1 × 2)/(6 × 2) = 2/12.

How to Remember Numerator and Denominator?

It is very easy to remember numerator and denominator in fractions if we know their positions. A numerator always lies above the fraction bar while a denominator always lies below the bar.

How to Rationalize the Numerator?

Rationalizing a numerator means converting the numerator from an irrational number to a rational number by multiplying both numerator and denominator with a number or an expression. It is the same as rationalizing a denominator. The only difference is that here we rationalize the number or expression written above the fraction bar. For example, to rationalize the numerator in the number √3/2, we need to multiply both numerator and denominator by √3. This implies, (√3 ×√3)/(2 × √3) = 3/2√3.

Can the Numerator be Equal to 0?

The numerator of a fraction can be 0. But a fraction of the form 0/a is always simplified as 0.

How to Find the Numerator and Denominator of a Fraction?

It is very easy to find the numerator and the denominator of a fraction. A fraction is made up of two numbers. The number above the line is called the numerator and the number below the line is the denominator. In 4/5, the number 4 is the numerator and the number 5 is the denominator.